Portable electronic device having a connector and a cable for connecting with an external device

• US 6,301,100 B1
• Filed: 06/23/1998
• Issued: 10/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Citizen Watch Co Limited (Citizen Electronics Company Limited)
• Inventors: Iwata, Yasuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Donels, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US09/102,757
• Time in Patent Office: 1,204 Days
• Field of Search: 361/681-683, 361/679, 361/724, 361/725, 361/727-729, 345/169
• US Class Current: 361/679.55
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1635 Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1679 for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA G06F1/1681 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1683 for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1688 the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/72 Means for accommodating flexible lead within the holder
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724092 Interfacing with an external cover providing additional functionalities

Abstract

A box of a device is comprised of a lid and a body for housing an electronic unit. An operating section of the device is arranged on the portion of the body surface covered by the lid. The covered portion of the body is formed with a hole for leading a cable from the inside to the outside of the body. A groove for accommodating a cable is formed continuous with the hole and a depression for accommodating a connector is formed adjacently to the groove in the surface of the upper cover. Further, another groove for guiding the cable out of the side of the body is formed in the surface of the body. When the portable electronic device is not in use, the connector and the cable are accommodated in the depression and the groove, respectively. The connector and the cable can be easily taken out of the depression and the groove, respectively, when the portable electronic device is used. At this time, the cable is led out of the guide groove. Therefore, no unreasonable force is exerted on the cable when the device is used.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device comprising:

an electronic unit;

a cable connected to said electronic unit;

a connector connected to a forward end of said cable;

a body formed of an upper cover and a lower cover for housing said electronic unit therein;

an operating section arranged on an upper surface of said upper cover;

a lid rotatably joined to a side of said body for covering the upper surface of said upper cover;

a hole formed in the upper surface of said upper cover for passing said cable from an interior of said body out of said body;

a groove formed continuous with said hole in the upper surface of said upper cover for accommodating said cable; and

a depression formed continuous with said groove in the upper surface of said upper cover for accommodating said connector.

2. A portable electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a guide groove formed in the upper surface of said upper cover adjacent to said hole for guiding said cable out of a side of said body.

3. A portable electronic device according to claim 2, wherein said hole is formed in a side of the upper surface of said upper cover opposite to the side of the body to which the lid is joined, and said guide groove is formed at a corner of the upper surface of said upper cover.

4. A portable electronic device according to claim 3, wherein said guide groove is formed at an angle of 45°

to the sides of said upper cover forming said corner.

5. A portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein at least a hole for screwing said upper cover to said lower cover is formed in the bottom of the groove of said upper cover for accommodating said cable.

6. A portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein a further connector is arranged in a side of said body and covered by a mask arranged on a surface of said side of said body, and said upper cover and said lower cover are fixedly screwed to sides of said further connector inside said mask.

7. A portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said depression for accommodating said connector and said groove for accommodating said cable are arranged on the upper surface of said upper cover along a hinge side of said body to which said lid is rotatable joined, and a battery case is formed inside said body between said hinge side of said body and said groove for accommodating said cable.

8. A portable electronic device according to claim 7, wherein a groove for inserting the base of a coil spring for a negative electrode is formed in said battery case, and said groove is covered and said coil spring is held by a member forming a groove for receiving a shaft constituting a hinge mechanism for said lid.

9. A portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said depression for accommodating said connector and said groove for accommodating said cable are arranged along a hinge side of said body to which said lid is rotatably joined, a strap hole for attaching a strap is formed at a corner of the hinge side of said body, and a notch is formed in a portion of said lid corresponding to said strap hole.

10. A portable electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a liquid crystal display mounted on said lid, wherein said liquid crystal display is bonded to the inside surface of said lid with a double-sided adhesive tape, and a grid rib is formed on the inside surface of said lid for bonding said double-sided adhesive tape in a small area.

11. A portable electronic device according to claim 10, wherein said liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal plate, a flexible wiring board electrically connected to said liquid crystal plate on the front side is bent and arranged on the back of said liquid crystal plate, and said bent portion is covered with a light-shielding one-side adhesive tape to thereby reinforce said bent portion while at the same time masking an IC circuit arranged on said flexible wiring board.

12. A portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said electronic unit includes a buzzer using a piezoelectric element, said buzzer being fixed on the frame of said electronic unit with a one-side adhesive tape.